Principal Team Message

CELEBRATING CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ENRICHMENT OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

At Ripponlea Primary School, we are fortunate to be part of a vibrant and diverse community that represents a wide range of cultures, languages, and traditions. This diversity enriches our school environment, helping students broaden their perspectives and develop empathy, understanding, and respect for others. By learning about and celebrating each other's customs and beliefs, we nurture a sense of belonging and unity among all our students.

This week, we extend our warmest wishes to families celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights. Diwali is a five-day Hindu festival symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Families gather to light lamps, share sweets, exchange gifts, and enjoy spectacular fireworks. The festival also emphasises the importance of kindness, renewal, and positivity, values that align beautifully with the spirit of our school community. To everyone celebrating Diwali, we wish you a season filled with light, love, and joy!

We also extend best wishes to our Jewish families as they approach Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Known as the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur is a time of reflection, prayer, and fasting. Many spend the day in synagogue services, focusing on repentance and seeking forgiveness. It offers an opportunity to reflect on the past year, make amends, and commit to self-improvement. For those observing, we wish you an easy fast and meaningful reflection.

In addition to Diwali and Yom Kippur, we also recognise other cultural celebrations taking place at this time:

• Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the Moon Festival): Celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese communities, this festival honours the moon and the harvest. Families come together to share mooncakes, light lanterns, and give thanks for the blessings of the season.
• Hanukkah: Later in the year, Jewish families will celebrate this eight-day festival of lights, commemorating the miracle of oil in the ancient temple.

These celebrations and many more provide rich opportunities for us to learn from one another, fostering an inclusive environment where students can explore their own identities and develop respect for others' traditions.

We encourage families to share their cultural traditions with the school community throughout the year. Whether it’s through food, music, storytelling, or art, each contribution deepens our collective understanding and appreciation for the diverse backgrounds represented within our school. Our diversity is a gift that helps our students develop lifelong skills in respect, curiosity, and global citizenship.

Thank you to everyone who makes our community such a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

PYJAMA DAY CELEBRATION: A COZY SUCCESS FOR NATIONAL CHILDREN'S WEEK

Last Friday, Ripponlea Primary School turned into a sea of cosy flannel, onesies, and slippers as students and staff celebrated Pyjama Day for National Children's Week. This heartwarming day, organized by our fantastic Student Wellbeing Team, gave everyone the chance to embrace a little comfort while raising awareness of the importance of children’s wellbeing.

The theme of National Children's Week emphasises the right of every child to relax, play, and feel valued. What better way to reflect this than coming to school in our comfiest pyjamas? On a cold morning, it was a delight for students and families to enjoy the rare ease of heading straight to school without the fuss of changing into uniforms. The school grounds were filled with smiles, laughter, and a shared sense of warmth — inside and out!

A huge thank you to the Student Wellbeing Team for coming up with such a creative and inclusive idea. It was not only a fun way to mark the week but also a reminder of the importance of self-care, mental health, and belonging. Days like these encourage us to celebrate who we are and enjoy moments of simple joy with our friends and teachers.

We hope everyone felt a little lighter and more connected as we wrapped ourselves in cosy outfits and positive vibes. 

Thank you to all the students, staff, and families for joining in the spirit of the day — what a wonderful way to celebrate our community and the importance of wellbeing!

FOUNDATION 2025 - 'STEPPING UP' SCHOOL TRANSITION PROGRAM 

As we near the end of October, it’s hard to believe that we are already welcoming our 2025 Foundation students and their families! This is an exciting time as children join us from various kindergartens across the local area to participate in our unique transition program.

Our Stepping Up to Foundation program runs over four sessions. While the students get familiar with their new Foundation teachers and support staff, their parents will also have the opportunity to engage in a series of workshops designed to ease the transition into school life. For many families, starting school can feel overwhelming, and these workshops provide valuable tips to help first-time school parents feel more confident. The more comfortable families feel, the smoother this second major transition—after kinder—will be for their children. These sessions have been instrumental in shaping the positive experiences of our future Rippers.

Over the four weeks, families will learn what a typical day looks like for a Foundation student, explore our curriculum and special programs, meet members of our school community, and conclude with a special community BBQ with future student buddies and their families.

We are thrilled to kick off the 2025 Foundation Transition Program this Friday at 9:30 AM and can’t wait to meet our new students and their lovely families!

EXCITING NEW LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT RIPPONLEA PRIMARY SCHOOL

After an extensive recruitment process and multiple rounds of advertising, we have been unable to secure an AUSLAN teacher for the highly preferred language of choice by families, staff, and students. In response, we broadened the search to include Japanese, French, and Spanish. To our pleasant surprise, we received applications for all three languages.

Ultimately, the standout choice that resonated most with our students and the panel was Japanese, accompanied by the exceptional calibre of the successful applicant. Mrs Sayako Nakagawa, whobrings a wealth of experience from both mainstream and bilingual Japanese schools across Victoria, impressed us with her depth of expertise in Japanese language and culture. Her ability to engage students with modern-day elements of Japanese culture was truly captivating.

In addition to her language expertise, Mrs. Sayako’s creative approach to teaching through music and the arts made a lasting impact on the panel. We are confident that her innovative ideas will inspire and engage our students in meaningful ways.

While we remain committed to pursuing our goal of introducing AUSLAN at Ripponlea Primary School in the future, we are excited to embrace this fresh opportunity. We believe Japanese will provide a dynamic and engaging learning experience for our students, staff, and families.

Japanese culture is thriving globally, and many of our students are already familiar with and inspired by its influence. When we shared this news with a few Year 6 students, they expressed genuine disappointment that they would not be able to participate next year. 

Additionally, we are pleased to note that several of our local secondary schools offer Japanese, supporting continuity for students who wish to continue their language studies in the future.

We look forward to launching this exciting new program and seeing our students thrive as they explore the richness of the Japanese language and culture.

UPDATE ON THE ACCESSIBLE BUILDING PROJECT 

The VSBA Accessible Building Project is progressing well, and we thank our families, staff, and students, especially those in Foundation and Year 1/2, for their patience. Being cut off from other parts of the school has been challenging to navigate, but we appreciate everyone's efforts.

We are excited to share that Stages One and Two will be ready in time for Rippstock, our upcoming fete! The remaining stages (Three and Four) will resume after the fete and continue into the January holidays.

The bike shed foundations have been poured, and construction will begin shortly. It's also great to see the interior corridor now complete, along with some external ramps. Now, if Melbourne’s weather can ease up on the rain and storms, we aim to have clear access and completion by November 30th.

Stay tuned for more updates soon!

CELEBRATING OUR INCREDIBLE STAFF ON WORLD TEACHERS' DAY

Today, we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the families who cooked a dish (or two!) for our special World Teachers' Day luncheon. While the official day was celebrated last Friday, we chose to mark it today to ensure that all our staff, including part-timers, could join in the celebration.

The sit-down luncheon was a joyful occasion that made every member of our team feel truly appreciated. At Ripponlea, it’s not just about the title of “teacher”—every adult in our school plays a meaningful role in the lives of our students. Each staff member is a vital part of the support network that helps our children thrive, grow, and feel safe.

We encourage you to ask your child: “Who is an adult at Ripponlea that you feel you can turn to for help or you know cares about you?” We hope you’ll hear many names—or perhaps learn about that one special adult your child deeply trusts and shares a connection with.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on the significance of this day and express our gratitude to the incredible staff at Ripponlea Primary School. They show up every day for the right reasons—because they care deeply about your children and their future. 

Thank you to each and every one of them for their dedication, passion, and unwavering support!

Until next fortnight!

Natalie Rose             &                        Marta Campbell 

      Principal                                         Assistant Principal